Tesla Supercharger Rates -OUCH!!

[R.I.P.]

Looks like you’re in Portland/Vancouver area. One of the cheapest power locations in the country due to the cheap hydro power from Bonneville Power Authority. So this proves the SC rates reflect the local rates.
I think a better question is to compare rates charged to Rivian’s vs Teslas. Are we being gouged differently?

RAN $.36 here, EA $.42 (with subscription): so yeah, being gouged differently.

In my travels I have observed that Tesla is the only one that passes along cheap power benefits when available. RAN, EA & others just pocket the difference.

Really, though, I am not sure I can blame them; if people will pay it, why not collect it.

Sponsored

 

[emoore]

RAN $.36 here, EA $.42 (with subscription): so yeah, being gouged differently.

In my travels I have observed that Tesla is the only one that passes along cheap power benefits when available. RAN, EA & others just pocket the difference.

Really, though, I am not sure I can blame them; if people will pay it, why not collect it.

They aren’t gouging. They are using a different pricing model. Losing money in high price area like California and making money in lower priced areas. Nothing gouging about that.

 

[R.I.P.]

Looks like you’re in Portland/Vancouver area. One of the cheapest power locations in the country due to the cheap hydro power from Bonneville Power Authority. So this proves the SC rates reflect the local rates.
I think a better question is to compare rates charged to Rivian’s vs Teslas. Are we being gouged differently?

... Unless your question was "is the price different for Tesla drivers?" If so then no; I pay the same to charge my R1 (with subscription) at the SCs as I do with my Model Y.

 

[AlanP]

They aren’t gouging. They are using a different pricing model. Losing money in high price area like California and making money in lower priced areas. Nothing gouging about that.

I am afraid I beg to differ regarding gouging. Superchargers all over the southern California area are purchasing power from SCE, which is regulated at a consistent rate for all purchasers. The price at different superchargers varies wildly. In fact at the one in this post, their peak rate starts at noon, which is the time that SCE has surplus power that they generally don’t know what to do with because of the abundance of solar. My home time of use rate is $.25 per KWH until 4 PM.

It’s a business model that charges the maximum people will pay during the period of greatest demand. kind of like buying beer at a baseball game. It’s got nothing to do with the cost of the commodity.

 

[emoore]

I am afraid I beg to differ regarding gouging. Superchargers all over the southern California area are purchasing power from SCE, which is regulated at a consistent rate for all purchasers. The price at different superchargers varies wildly. In fact at the one in this post, their peak rate starts at noon, which is the time that SCE has surplus power that they generally don’t know what to do with because of the abundance of solar. My home time of use rate is $.25 per KWH until 4 PM.

It’s a business model that charges the maximum people will pay during the period of greatest demand. kind of like buying beer at a baseball game. It’s got nothing to do with the cost of the commodity.

I was mostly talking about RAN and EA. They seem to have taken the plan of same pricing no matter when or where.

 

[Hereforthesnacks]

I always wondered how Tesla calculated the “gas savings” that they put on their website and actually knock off the price of the car to make it seem like a value. Like most of what they do, it seems like a shady way to make their product look like a good deal. At $.60/kwh, it’s essentially the price of gas.

 

[ltphoto]

I always wondered how Tesla calculated the “gas savings” that they put on their website and actually knock off the price of the car to make it seem like a value. Like most of what they do, it seems like a shady way to make their product look like a good deal. At $.60/kwh, it’s essentially the price of gas.

Agreed that the "gas savings" pricing is a little misleading, but it is also misleading to base cost on supercharger pricing. If you are charging at home, then you are paying a fraction of the DC fast charger prices in most areas of the country. If you depend on DC fast charging as your only source of charging, then you probably are better off not owning an EV.

 

[SANZC02]

Agreed that the "gas savings" pricing is a little misleading, but it is also misleading to base cost on supercharger pricing. If you are charging at home, then you are paying a fraction of the DC fast charger prices in most areas of the country. If you depend on DC fast charging as your only source of charging, then you probably are better off not owning an EV.

It is worth noting that you can configure the savings on the Tesla site including your actual gas and electricity rates to get a better number.

I always ignored the savings and just went to the cash tab when I was looking.

 

[ksurfier]

Like everything, it’s complicated.
There are free chargers at certain hotels/malls.
There are low cost slow chargers that cost $0.15-0.20 per kWh
If you have solar and battery backup your rate might be $0.05 to $0.10.
Most DC fast chargers seem to be $0.50 to $0.60.
This works out to $0.25 per mile or so.

All considered, I don’t have a problem paying $250 per 1,000 miles to travel. Trip to Brian Head in 2023 in an old 4Runner was ~$0.30 per mile.

all that considered, I don’t think I’d take a Rivian on a super long road trip (>2,500 miles)…I’d prob. Rent something instead, or take a much more efficient EV…

EDIT: For anyone new to EVs, it’s super helpful if you can find someone (friend/family/coworker) who can explain some of the nuances/subtleties…

 

[Hereforthesnacks]

Agreed that the "gas savings" pricing is a little misleading, but it is also misleading to base cost on supercharger pricing. If you are charging at home, then you are paying a fraction of the DC fast charger prices in most areas of the country. If you depend on DC fast charging as your only source of charging, then you probably are better off not owning an EV.

If you have PG&E in CA (which millions do), the cheapest is $.38 at midnight. If you charge at 8pm, it’s $.65.

So, you are generally right. But not up in the Bay Area. So annoying.

 

[HaveBlue]

The Tesla prices have about doubled. I'm in the process of installing a L2 unit at an apartment building of the house meter and looking around, even L2 rates are super high in LA now. I'll be charging under .40/kWh which is a deal, lol. Electric rates are about .26 but it's going to cost thousands to install it and there are service charges for the billing. The 25' cord can reach four parking spaces. Tenants can share. That will take years before 14 tenants would have enough EVs max that one out.

I've installed 5-20 outlets for some tenants off their power at other buildings and wired it to a 30a 240v circuit if they want to spring for the evse. They don't and just poke along at 12a with their 5-15 plug. Some don't want us "making a mess" opening drywall to run the circuit down to their carport so I guess they'll keep supercharging.

 

[Dave Cundiff]

I paid $.016/kw yesterday at an SC. I guess Elon likes me better.

Or, maybe it is a reflection of what Tesla is paying for the power in the first place?

The only "Fourth Plain Boulevard" I know is in Clark County, Washington, which is served by Clark Public Utilities (https://www.clarkpublicutilities.com/about-cpu).

For-profit power companies are primarily incentivized to maximize shareholder return.

Public power companies are primarily incentivized to maximize community benefit and voter satisfaction.

That makes public power both cheaper and more reliable than for-profit power (https://www.publicpower.org/public-...es are not,homes powered by private utilities.).

I'm glad we also have public power in Pacific County! One of many things that make this a great place for us to live....

 

[bigsky]

I surmise Musk likes me better that he likes you still. So much so as to give my Model SP free electrons for life at Tesla SCs. Thank you, Musk!!

 

[bigsky]

Imagine, just imagine for a minute the huge revolt that would take place in America, in the ICE world if the price of gas hit such scam costs. Sure, it might depend on utility rates, makes no diffence. $0.82/kWh would work out to about $28.00 per galon of gas in terms of equivalent energy content. Not even in far away NZ would this happen. Beyond gouging, this is absurd.

Even the lowest cost of charging I have seen would make the price of gas at $12/gallon.
In the PNW, where mighty cheap hydroelectric power is plentiful, cost of Tesla SC varies from about $0.22 to $0.40+. More tolerable.

I still will take my R1S on long trips from time to time, but my first choice for EV tripping is my Tesla Model S Performance because Elon gave me free electricity for at Tesla SCs for life. Thank you!

 

[VSG]

I surmise Musk likes me better that he likes you

Did he ask you to have his babies?

In the PNW, where mighty cheap hydroelectric power is plentiful, cost of Tesla SC varies from about $0.22 to $0.40+.

I see $0.32 - $0.62 in Washington, with most above $0.40. Tesla Superchargers can be cheaper than EA etc., but you have to be careful because they can also be a lot more expensive.

Yes, there are few with $0.22 if you show up at 2am, but those same stations have high rates in the middle of the day.

The expensive one seem to be on the highway where they will be used on road trips. The cheaper ones seem to be more useful for daily commuters.

Sponsored